Boat anchor



Aug. 24, 1 54 w. E. EVANS 2,687,107

BOAT ANCHOR Filed May 2, 1952 Fig.3 3 W 4 25 E 74 William E. Evans INVENTOR.

20 MM m Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOAT ANCHOR William E. Evans, Dallas, Tex.

Application May 2, 1952, Serial No. 285,741

4 Claims. 1 This invention relates in general to anchors, and more particularly to collapsible anchors adapted for use with small boats.

The average small boat fisherman depends upon a rigid type anchor which after it has been disposed upon the bottom for a period of time becomes sufficiently anchored whereby the fisherman cannot pull it up. This is particularly true when the anchoring arms of the anchor becomes engaged behind rocks, weeds, logs, etc. which are relatively immovable with respect to the pulling power of the fisherman. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a boat anchor having collapsible anchoring arms which may be released while the anchor is on the bottom in order to clear the same of elements which would ordinarily prevent the withdrawal of the anchor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible anchor for anchoring small boats which has outwardly projecting anchoring arms adapted to engage with the bottom of a body of water for retaining a small boat against movement with respect thereto, said anchoring arms being selectively collapsible whereby said anchor may be easily withdrawn from the bottom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible anchor which, after discharging its function and when it is desired to be withdrawn from the bottom, can be collapsed selectively by a fisherman in a manner to cause it to release its hold upon the bottom and enable the same to be withdrawn from rocks or other holding elements on the bottom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible anchor which is of simple and rigid construction whereby it is durable and economically feasible, and at the same time light in weight and easy to use.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible anchor whereinthe anchoring arms thereof may be pivoted into alignment with the supporting body thereof whereby it may be easily stored, said anchoring arms being removable and interchangeable as desired whereby additional reduction in space may be obtained if desired.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible anchor having anchor arms pivotally connected to a supporting body, said anchoring arms being of different types and interchangeable with the supporting body whereby said anchor may be selectively outfitted to provide an arrangement suitable for the bottom of the body of water in which a boat is to be anchored. l

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the anchor with the anchoring arms thereof in extended position, the anchoring arms illustrated being of a type adapted for use with a rocky or weedy bottom;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure l and shows the internal construction of the collapsible anchor including the means for retaining the anchoring arms in extended position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 2 and shows the general arrangement of means for locking the anchoring arms in extended positions;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 3 and shows the arrangement of stop means for limiting the movement of the means for locking the anchoring arms in extended positions; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an anchoring arm interchangeable with the anchoring arms illustrated in Figure 1, the anchoring arm being provided with a wide bottom engaging plate and adapted especially for use in connection with sandy or muddy bottoms.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the collapsible anchor, which is the subject of this invention, includes an elongated supporting body in the form of a tubular housing I0 having a lower portion 12 of a greater diameter. Secured to the outer surface of the lower portion l2 of the tubular housing H] are radially extending pairs of spaced parallel flanges M which are equally spaced about the circumference of the tubular housing II). It will be noted that the flanges l4 extend vertically and have smoothly curved outer edges.

Referring now to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that the lower portion [2 of the tubular housing I0 is provided with radially extending slots H3 at the bottom thereof, each of the slots [6 being aligned with the space between a pair of respective flanges It. Pivotally connected to each pair of flanges M, by a horizontal pivot pin it is a support arm 26. Each support arm 213 is in the form of a fiat strip of metal having an inner end portion thereof disposed between its respective flanges M and within its respective slot It. It will be noted that each support arm 20 is elongated and has secured to its lower edge adjacent the outer end thereof an outwardly extending anchor blade 22, the anchor blade 22 being outwardly and upwardly curved, and to gether with its respective support arm 2d forming an anchoring arm, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 2%.

It will be seen that each support arm-2i; is provided with a vertically extending shoulder 26 projecting outwardly from its upper edge intermediate its ends. The shoulder 26 is of greater width'than the thickness of the support arm 28 and is adapted to engage the curved edges of the flanges id between which the support arm Z is pivotally mounted. It will be understood that the engagement of the shoulder 26 with the flanges i l prevent upward swinging of the respective anchoring arm 24.

In order that the anchoring arms 24 may be retained in their extended positions transversely of the axis of the tubular housing id, each support arm 25 is provided with a second vertical shoulder 28, the shoulder 28 extending upwardly from the upper edge of the support arm 2c at the inner arm thereof. The support arms 2e are prevented from swinging outwardly by engagement of their respective shoulders 23 with the inner wall of annular locking element 353 which is adapted to be positioned between the shoulders 28 and the inner walls of the lower portion if. of the tubular housing it.

It will be noted that the annular locking rele ment at is mounted for vertical movement within the lower enlarged portion i2 and has connected thereto a vertically extending operating rod 32 which is connected thereto by a transversely extending pin 34. It will be seen that by moving the operating rod 32 upwardly, the annular element is also moved upwardly with the result that the support arms 29 of the anchoring arms 24 are free to pivot about their respective pivot pins 8 to the positions illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 2. In order that the anchoring arms 24 may not be accidentally released, the annular locking element 3! is urged towards its locking position by a coil spring 36 whose upward movement is prevented by engagement-with anane nular shoulder 38 formed at the intersection of' the lower portion i2 with the upper portion of the tubular housing It].

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that downward movement of the annular locking element 39 within the lower enlarged portion l2 of the housing Ill is limited by a locking screw it and its associated locking nut 42 which are carried by the enlarged lower portion l2 and acts asa stop for the annular locking element 39. It will be understood that-the annular locking element 36 and its associated operating rod 32 and coil spring 36 may bev removed only after the locking screw it! has-been removed.

In order that the tubular housing it and its attached anchoring arms 24 may function as an;

anchor, the up er end or the tubular housing ii) is provided with an inverted U-shaped vertically extending line anchorin element 44; to

which is connected the lower ends of an anchoring line 46. As is best illustrated in Figure 1, the operating rod 32 extends outwardly out of the upper end of the tubular housing It) and is provided with an aperture 48 in the upper end thereof. Extending through the aperture 48 is the lower end of an anchorin arm releasing line 50 which, together with the anchoring line 46 are connected to a boat (not shown).-

It will be understood that when the collapsible anchor, which is the subject of this invention, is dropped from a boat the anchoring blades 24 thereof will engage with the bottom of a body of water in which the boat is being anchored in the same manner as would a conventional anchor.

After the anchor has performed its function, attentionis then placed upon the anchoring arm releasing line 5!! with the result that the operatin rod 32 is pulled upwardly with respect to the tubular housing It); The upper movement of the operating rod 32 result in the upper movement of the annularlockingelement 30 and the releasing of the anchoring arms 24. While ;the anchoring arms 2s are free to rotate, the anchoring line lfi'is pulled upwardly with the re-. sult that the anchoring, arms 24 pivot inwardly. to positions illustrated in Figure 2 by dotted lines and are free from any object behind which they may have become engaged. The collapsible an; chor is then pulled up into theboat (no-tsho wm with a minimum of effort.

Referring once again to Figure 2, it will be seen that the inner ends of the support. armsZll are rounded as at 52, and asis illustratedv in dotted lines, .the rounded end portion 52 of each support arm Ell is in engagement Withtheoutersurface of the annular lockin element 30 when the anchoring arms 24 are generally. in alignment with the tubular housing it. Due to the round-,, ness of the inner ends 52, when the collapsible, anchor is dropped and the locking element; 30 is. in a slightly raised position, obtained by pull of. the collapsible anchor on the anchoringbar re. lease line 56, the anchoring arms. upon. strik.-. ing a solid object such as the bottom, will be I'O': tated outwardly to the positions -.indicated. by solid lines in Figure 2. In other words, if the col-. lapsible anchor is dropped and the anchoring arm releasing line 50 is retainedby the fisher,- man, the anchoring. arms 2 3 will beautomatie cally extended upon the striking of=thecollapsible= anchor on a solid bottom.

Referring now to Figure 5 in particular, itwill be seen. that there is illustrated a modified form of anchoring bar, which is referredito in general. by the reference numeral 54.. The anchoringarm. it includes a support arm 56 whichiisidentical in shape to the support 2c and includes-a transverse aperture 58 adapted to receive one of the pivot pins ML The anchoring 'arma-ti tediffers, from the anchorin arm. 24 only in that theana choring blade portion 60 thereof is. much wider than the anchoring blades 22 or the anchoring arm 24 and is especially adapted'jor usetinconlnection with sandy or muddvbottoms whereas, the anchoring arms 24 are adapted-doruserwithl, rocky bottoms. It-will be .notedathatj allpof the working i mechanism of, the collapsible anohonwhich is the subject of this invention, is builtE inside so it cannot foul in brush cr rock andwill always trip in addition tothe fact thatithe mecha; nism cannot be accidentally tripped.- Alsosinasamuch asthe operating ro,d 32 is looselyflisposed within; thetubular housin 6,, jerikingg ;;on. the;-

releasing line 50 will work sand loose thatemait.

have settled inside the tubular housing In. The anchor is especially advantageous to fishermen in that the anchor is light in weight and may be collapsed to a relatively small size whereby it may be conveniently carried in a, fishermans ordinary size tackle box.

The operation of this device will be understood from the foregoing description of the details thereof, taken in connection with the above recited objects and the drawings. Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an anchor, a supporting body having a plurality of radially extending anchoring arms pivotally connected thereto, each of said anchoring arms having a substantially flat vertically extending inner end portion, a pair of spaced opposed vertically extending shoulders at the upper edge of said inner end portion, first means carried by said body exterior of said body engaging the outermost of said shoulders to limit upward movement of said anchoring arms, second means carried by said body within said body releasably engaging the innermost of said shouldders to limit downward movement of said anchoring arms.

2. In an anchor, a supporting body having a plurality of radially extending anchoring arms pivotallyconnected thereto, each of said anchoring arms having a substantially flat vertically extending inner end portion, a pair of spaced opposed vertically extending shoulders at the upper edge of said inner end portion, first means carried by said body engaging the outermost of said shoulders to limit upward movement of said anchoring arms, second means carried by said body releasably engaging the innermost or said shoulders to limit downward movement of said anchoring arms, said supporting body being tubular, said flat portions being disposed in radially extending slots through the walls of said supporting body at the lower end thereof, said innermost shoulders and said second means being disposed within said housing when said anchoring blades are in anchoring position, said first means and said outermost shoulders being disposed exteriorly of said supporting body.

3. In an anchor, a supporting body having a plurality of radially extending anchoring arms pivotally connected thereto, each of said anchoring arms having a substantially flat vertically extending inner end portion, a pair of spaced opposed vertically extending shoulders at the upper edge of said inner end portion, first means carried by said body engaging the outermost of said shoulders to limit upward movement of said anchoring arms, second means carried by said body releasably engaging the innermost of said shoulders to limit downward movement of said anchoring arms, said first means and said outermost shoulders being disposed exteriorly of said body, said second means including an annular member slidably maintained within said supporting body and positionable between said supporting body and said innermost shoulders, said annular member being provided with a vertically extending operating rod extending upwardly through said supporting body and having an upper end disposed above the upper end of said supporting body and within a line anchoring element for said supporting body, an anchoring line connected to said line anchoring element, an anchoring arm releasing line connected to said operating rod.

4. In an anchor, a supporting body having a plurality of radially extending anchoring arms pivotally connecting thereto, each of said anchoring arms having a substantially flat vertically extending inner end portion, a pair of spaced opposed vertically extending shoulders at the upper edge of said inner end portion, first means car ried by said body engaging the outermost of said shoulders to limit upward movement of said anchoring arms, second means carried by said body releasably engaging the innermost of said shoulders to limit downward movement of said anchoring arms, said first means including pairs of spaced parallel flanges secured to the exterior of said supporting body and providing support means for said anchoring arms, said anchoring arms being disposed between flanges of their respective pairs of flanges and pivotally connected thereto, said flanges forming abutments for said outermost shoulders.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 531,315 Joyner Dec. 25, 1894 651,724 Peterson June 12, 1900 1,295,076 Sherman et al. Feb. 18, 1919 1,632,529 Bauer June 14, 1927 2,012,751 Buch et a1 Aug. 27, 1935 2,540,867 Douglas Feb. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,268 Great Britain 1874 

